By Bhupen Goswami

Guwahati : :The floods continue to wreak havoc in the state of Assam by affecting over 78 lakh people, along with livestock.   As per the latest reports disclosed by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), as on 18 July 2019, a total 4,128 villages in 103 revenue circles of 28 districts Viz. Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Udalguri, Baksa, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Majuli, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Cachar, and Karimganj of Assam have been affected in the Flood. Approximately 78,52,107 people have been affected. Presently, 689 Relief Camps are operational in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Goalpara, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Majuli, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Cachar and Karimganj districts with 2,25,737 inmates and 391 Relief Distribution Centres in the districts of Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Udalguri, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Morigaon, Sivasagar, Golaghat and Majuli.

Nine people have lost their lives due to flood in the districts of Biswanath (2), Sonitpur (1), Morigaon (3), Udalguri (1), Bongaigaon (1) and Barpeta (1) in the last 24 hours. In this season, the total loss of human lives is 37 persons in floods and 2 persons in landslide. Water level of Rivers at Danger Level: Brahmaputra at Neamatighat (Jorhat), Tezpur (Sonitpur), Guwahati (Kamrup), Goalpara and Dhubri; Dhansiri (S) at Numaligarh (Golaghat); Jia Bharali at N.T.Rd.Xing (Sonitpur); Kopili at Kampur and Dharamtul (Nagaon), Puthimari at N.H.Rd.Xing (Kamrup) & Kushiyara at Karimganj (Karimganj). NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) teams have been pressed into service in the flood-affected areas for search and rescue operations. These 53 lakh people are now prone to diseases and other flood-related infections. ltogether 391 relief distribution centres are also operational in the affected areas. “However, villagers are forced to live in the relief camps as the water is yet to completely recede. With dwelling units submerged, people in many of the affected areas have not returned to their villages,” several local persons said, adding, “Disaster management teams have paid visits but relief material has not reached several areas.” Many of the affected have said that they are not left with much food-grains and that they have been requesting the government to supply more food grains. Again, a number of people have alleged that they have not received adequate flood relief from the government. “The relief material is low and people affected with the flood is more. Moreover, in most of the remote areas flood relief is yet to reach,” said a few.